Posted on 01/30/2005 4:07:58 AM PST by Conservativegreatgrandma
Major Larson has been in Iraq with an Army Reserve Unit. Major Larson is an Iowa Senator and past Chairman of the Iowa Republican Party.
"Dear Friend,
Thank you for your friendship, prayers, and the support you have given our troops in Iraq. My long journey has come to an end, and I will be returning to the United States very soon.
Our higher headquarters has scheduled a welcome home ceremony on February 10th or 11th, 10:00 a.m. at the Hotel Ft. Des Moines, located at 10th and Walnut Ave in Des Moines. I will send you the final date as soon as possible.
I would like to introduce you to the great men and women of our command. I am honored to have served in the company of these soldiers who left their families to bring freedom and democracy to a people they didn't know in a country they had never seen.
Without doubt, this has been a year of tremendous achievement and tragic loss in Iraq. The Coalition Forces have made great progress in moving Iraq towards democracy. With elections less than 12 hours away, we are anxious to see the culmination of our hard work.
Iraqis are freedom loving people that are extremely thankful for all of the sacrifices we have made for them. Like us, they want to live in peace, have good schools for their children, good paying jobs, and the opportunity to improve their lives. Democracy represents that opportunity.
The enemy of freedom in Iraq is made up of elements of Saddam Hussein's regime that lived like kings and religious extremists who are categorically opposed to individual liberty. Iraq's oil wealth mirrors that of Saudi Arabia's. Billions of dollars in oil revenue allowed Saddam Hussein and the enemy to live as modern day Egyptian pharaohs. They ruled with an iron fist, killing over a million of their own people.
During this year, I have met Iraqis who have been tortured and had their entire families killed by Saddam's regime. This is why freedom, democracy, and the elections tomorrow are so important to the people of Iraq.
In addition to my legal responsibilities, I spearheaded our command's humanitarian mission and supervised the construction of 12 new schools, 3 city halls, 2 water treatment facilities, a veterinarian clinic, and the renovation of a rural community's electrical infrastructure. No longer will the children we helped attend school in a windowless, mud brick building. Other units have built hundreds of schools, health clinics, water-treatment systems to improve the quality of life in Iraq.
I thank Americans for their support of Operation Iraqi Hope. We received approximately $100,000 in school and medical supplies from over 25 states. Churches, service clubs, Boy Scouts & Girl Scouts, and even new Americans learning English as a second language in Texas joined to help the children of Iraq. The donated school supplies were distributed to 17,000 Iraqi children. I will never forget the excitement in their eyes as they received pencils, pens, and spiral notebooks. Thank you for making this possible.
During our recent transfer of command ceremony, a MEDEVAC helicopter flew over head carrying an injured soldier to the base hospital. It was a reminder of the great sacrifices made by our soldiers. My prayers remain with the families of the three soldiers and three Marines from our command who paid the ultimate price. Their sacrifice will never be forgotten. Please keep our troops in your prayers.
Shortly, I will return to the land of the free and the home of the brave. Having spent a year in the combat zone, those words have taken on a much more personal and powerful meaning for me. We are a nation rich with opportunity to better our lives and to live freely.
God bless,
Major Chuck Larson Command Judge Advocate 372nd Engineer Group"
Chuck's letter makes me feel the emotions of intense love and respect for Chuck and all his men. This day validates all they've done. God bless all of them. See you tomorrrow.
bttt
Ping to a letter from my friend who will be returning soon from Iraq.
oh thanks~!!
What a great letter, and it just repeats the wonderful things I hear from guys and gals at work when they return from the "Sand Box".
I love them all!!!
Great letter. Thanks for the ping.
Thanks for the ping!
Bump!
Did (do) you like Doug Gross as much as Chuck said he did?
http://desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050128/OPINION01/501280369/1035/OPINION
I'm a little more conservative than Chuck. I supported Sukup in the last primary for Gov. That didn't keep Chuck and I from being friends. We both knew the other would support the eventual winner. No question about it.
This time around, I am supporting Nussle. 2/3 of the Republican voters live East of Des Moines. It is important that we win this primary, and I believe having a familiar face is the key to winning.
I have no political problems with Vander Plaats, only that he lives too far West.
thanks for posting a link to Larson Sr's article.
I believe it is okay to post links, however Gannatt has asked that articles NOT be copied and pasted here.
See you around 3:30 pm today. Coming in late due to business.
Tonk: Here's another article from the Des Moines Register by Charles Larson, Sr. Hope it's ok to post it.
Thanks for pinging it, if you will.
Conservativegreatgrandma
http://desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050128/OPINION01/501280369/1035/OPINION
Thanks for the ping!
Your Welcome my Mentor!
My pleasure, Hero!!!
He!! yeah, ping!
Morning Tonk. Kudos to the Larsons.
God bless Maj. Larson and all who serve..A wonderful letter.
Great post.
BTTT!!!!!
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